DF500 Initial Quality

[RustE]

Had the opportunity to look at and test a Domino DF500.  While it is an expensive purchase for a hobbyist, there are some projects that would be a lot easier with this machine.

My reservation about purchasing was the appearance of the fence.  The casting was not the most impressive that I have seen but also not the worst (don't ask).  I could see the machining marks from the face cutter, which is both normal and acceptable.  What I did not like was how the color went from a darker dull grey at the center to a bright silver on the perimeter.  Is this a result of the fence being lapped at some point in the manufacturing process?  Is this just a reaction to the anodizing process?  My expectation was a bright machined surface or at least a uniformly light grey colored surface.

 

[ChuckM]

As a seasoned user of the DF500, I'd say it is an adequate tool for woodworking purposes. Spot-on results are not 100% guaranteed due to machine and user limitations.

If I go by JessEm's surface quality as a rating of 100, the DF500 is 70 or so. I have no Woodpeckers in my shop, but I think the DF500 is also well below the machining quality of a typical Woodpeckers product.

 

[Jiggy Joiner]

The fences and base plates of all the new DF500’s I’ve seen, do not scream German engineering to me. My own one isn’t great looking, and needed a bit of file work here and there.
It works perfectly though, it’s not perfect in design but, with such a tool and how it works, I think improvement would be a challenge.

Also, as these machines are only made by one company, I think checking it works properly is the most important thing. Then just carry on and make it earn it’s keep.

Love em or hate em, they are a game changer!  [thumbs up]

 

[ChuckM]

In terms of improvements, I think it is technically possible to make the machine more friendly for handling angled joinery. If the fence could be re-engineered (or the option of a different type of fence) to make it rotatable to different angles, it would deal with slanted joinery such as louver shutter or step ladder projects with ease.

 

[grbmds]

I have used my DF500 for a number of years. Every time I use it, I feel it is always one of my favorite tools. I'm not a professional furniture maker, carpenter, or builded, but whenever I want to put something in wood together, I always think of the Domino first. I have never had one single problem with the result from my Domino that hasn't been due to an error in technique or calculation on my part.

It does take at least a small amount of practice at first just to get used to speed of plunging, get some routine for marking tenon locations, and just overall familiarity with the Domino and its settings.

The first project I made with it came out perfect. I've made drawers, a night stand that used nothing by Domino joints, and a variety of other things for my shop and home.

Based on my use of the DF500, I'd say whatever you feel isn't machined properly doesn't affect results at all.

 

[Michael Kellough]

Had the opportunity to look at and test a Domino DF500.  While it is an expensive purchase for a hobbyist, there are some projects that would be a lot easier with this machine.

My reservation about purchasing was the appearance of the fence.  The casting was not the most impressive that I have seen but also not the worst (don't ask).  I could see the machining marks from the face cutter, which is both normal and acceptable.  What I did not like was how the color went from a darker dull grey at the center to a bright silver on the perimeter.  Is this a result of the fence being lapped at some point in the manufacturing process?  Is this just a reaction to the anodizing process?  My expectation was a bright machined surface or at least a uniformly light grey colored surface.

Have not used my Domino in a while but I don’t think any of the fence assembly is anodized. Difference in color is probably areas that were flat enough as cast (darker) verses areas that needed to be ground flat (brighter).

 

[copcarcollector]

In the USA you have thirty days to test a tool in your own shop. Use it, mess with it, beat it up and decide for yourself in your own shop if the color of the casting actually makes a difference in the performance of the machine. If it’s not what you want or what you will accept as ok, return it.

 

[peter halle]

I want to add on to what I and others have said about here in NA having thirty days to return.  If you buy local and return to your dealer then there aren't costs involved.  If you bought online from a dealer you will probably have to pay for return shipping to the dealer (some dealers might waive the shipping fees).  Also, if you bought the Domino and the Domino systainer will all the different sizes, that assortment is not a tool and doesn't fall under the return policy.  You should check with your dealer to see if their policy on returns for that differ from Festool's.

Peter

 

[RustE]

Have not used my Domino in a while but I don’t think any of the fence assembly is anodized. Difference in color is probably areas that were flat enough as cast (darker) verses areas that needed to be ground flat (brighter).

Yeah, there are other corrosion/oxidation coatings besides anodizing.  I have not come across many and would not know what to expect.

Your comment about waviness (high and low spots) makes a lot of sense.  Perhaps the discoloration is a result of the amount of material removed from the surface by the milling/surfacing operation.

 

[Aniline_Kohlrabi]

I have used 4 separate DF500s in the last 10 years:

At a college wood shop (hello freshmen)
At a small custom furniture studio
At a house flipper's workshop
At a large fabrication shop exposed to salty sea air

Never once did the finish quality of the castings interfere with the work. Even with the threat of clumsy students, indifferent fabricators, or salt, I always managed to get flush, square joints. The only thing that ever failed was the small, graduated plastic window mounted to the swiveling fence, but that was caused by someone over-tightening its mounting screws and cracking it.

What you should worry about is the following:

Not using a vacuum while operating the machine
Operating with dull bits
Not using common reference faces
Stepping on the plastic fence accessories
Losing the wrench

 

[Bill Hayes]

Yesterday I just received a DF500 I ordered thru Amazon.  As I carried in the box, I suspected there was a problem.  The box was undamaged, but there was a lot of rattling inside. 

Inside the enclosed Systainer, I found that all the plastic accessories for the tool were loose and jumbled around, as there was nothing to hold them in place.  There is a flimsy plastic tool organizer, which was shattered in several places, but no additional packaging to keep the accessories in place, and not surprisingly, they had bounced around and are all dinged and scratched up.  I assume the organizer was shattered by the accessories bouncing around.  Several of the accessories, eg the outriggers, have fine teeth and measurement markings, but are all scratched. The tool appears to be new (the blue protection plastic was still on the base), and no indications of use.  All the damage appears to be due to insufficient packaging for shipment.

Does Festool really not package the tool & accessories inside the Systainer to withstand shipping?  This is a $1000 tool, and they don't use some foam or bubble wrap or ?

BTW, this is my second Festool, I bought a Kapex w/stand 2 years ago, and mostly love it.  As I recall, it was very well packed.

 

[Cheese]

Does Festool really not package the tool & accessories inside the Systainer to withstand shipping?  This is a $1000 tool, and they don't use some foam or bubble wrap or ?

This issue has been discussed numerous times on this forum...you need to put this on Amazon...they know better. Return it and ask for a new one that's properly packaged.  [smile]

 

[RustE]

...you need to put this on Amazon...they know better. Return it and ask for a new one that's properly packaged...

I’d also toss the shipping company in there too.  That includes Amazon’s own, which is slightly better than the usual ones.

 

[ProCarpenterRVA]

Yesterday I just received a DF500 I ordered thru Amazon.  As I carried in the box, I suspected there was a problem.  The box was undamaged, but there was a lot of rattling inside. 

Inside the enclosed Systainer, I found that all the plastic accessories for the tool were loose and jumbled around, as there was nothing to hold them in place.  There is a flimsy plastic tool organizer, which was shattered in several places, but no additional packaging to keep the accessories in place, and not surprisingly, they had bounced around and are all dinged and scratched up.  I assume the organizer was shattered by the accessories bouncing around.  Several of the accessories, eg the outriggers, have fine teeth and measurement markings, but are all scratched. The tool appears to be new (the blue protection plastic was still on the base), and no indications of use.  All the damage appears to be due to insufficient packaging for shipment.

Does Festool really not package the tool & accessories inside the Systainer to withstand shipping?  This is a $1000 tool, and they don't use some foam or bubble wrap or ?

BTW, this is my second Festool, I bought a Kapex w/stand 2 years ago, and mostly love it.  As I recall, it was very well packed.

I've dropped my DF500 on concrete several times and it's going strong. I don't recommend this, and have found that the tray of the CT26 is a safer place to store it during lulls in the work flow. I did buy the Seneca Domiplate and it was a great improvement to the ease of use.

Amazon is usually the problem with the systainer insert being destroyed. They usually take a carton size and get it as close to the manufacturer carton size, skipping any padding whenever possible. I have ordered a few festool items from Amazon when my local Woodcraft store did not have any in stock Luckily they only had one tray destroyed and I just dealt with it.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

 

[peter halle]

Festool does not include interior packing materials and relies on their inserts to hold things in place.  But in normal situations that would be fine.  The pallets of tools they receive from Germany are all wrapped together so the risk of damage is low or acceptable.  They then send palletized shipments similarly to their dealers.  Once again - hard to rattle a pallet.  Then the pallet is broken down to individual size for shipping to you or me.  Then the rattling and damage tend to happen.  Some dealers insert extra packing to cut back on the hassle of complaints.

Peter

 

[08G8V8]

I received a Domino from Amazon yesterday as well. The accessories were scattered, but no damage to any of them. The insert was fully intact and so was the Domino.  The foam block on the lid does a good job of holding the Domino in place.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[ChuckM]

If the box has no "This Side Up" labels on the outside, delivery or courier personnel might not know they were handing it upside down. [unsure]

 

[Bill Hayes]

Thanks all for your comments.  The box was too big for the Systainer, almost 3x by volume, with only one slightly crumpled piece of paper to fill the void, so the Systainer was allowed to slide around in there.  The main tool was fairly well secured with the foam block inside the lid.  It was just astonishing that the plastic accessories weren't secured at all.  So, I do fault the shipper for the outside packaging, but if Festool had properly secured their precision plastic accessories inside, as if they cared about them, then all would probably have been OK.  For the price, it seems like it should come with a felt lined wooden box with retainers for each accessory.
I will, of course, be reporting to Amazon, and returning this unit.  What a waste of time and energy.

 

[Cheese]

For the price, it seems like it should come with a felt lined wooden box with retainers for each accessory.
I will, of course, be reporting to Amazon, and returning this unit.  What a waste of time and energy.

I'm assuming the felt lined box reference is tongue in cheek.  [smile]

Other than that...it's still all on Amazon. Just part of the new world we live in.

 

[Svar]

Other than that...it's still all on Amazon. Just part of the new world we live in.

It's also partially on Festool. Most of their systainer inserts are not fit for shipping. Something they should have realized and adapted to many years ago considering how much business is done online and shipped by common carriers. I've sold a number of FT items over the years. Learning from my experience of receiving systainers with parts flown around I always stuffed empty space around tools with bubble wrap, air bags, foam etc. tightly until nothing is moving or rattling.